Uconn

Connecticut's Bria Hartley, left, drives to the basket as Pittsburgh's Asia Logan, right, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Hartford, Conn., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Because of the way Bria Hartley carries herself, it was easy to recognize her talents the first time she stepped onto UConn's Gampel Pavilion court.

She plays with great energy, yet glides up and down the court effortlessly. It's her nature to push tempo to an exciting level. And while there are times when she's prone to mistakes, her hustle and determination always seem to result in many more positive plays than negatives.

But perhaps her greatest attribute has been her confidence. She's always embraced the big games and displayed a willingness to take over during pivotal moments. Her diligent training prepared her to fearlessly take on challenges.

That's why, despite the fact that playing in the 3-on-3 world championships last summer resulted in an injury that disrupted almost her entire junior season, she's back happily playing for USA Basketball again this year.

Hartley and teammate Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis are currently in Colorado Springs, Colo., training with the USA World University Games team in preparation for the tournament, which begins July 8 in Russia.

"There wasn't any hesitation at all for me," Hartley said in a phone interview recently. "Any time you get an opportunity to play USA Basketball, you should definitely take it, and I wasn't going to pass it up. Injuries happen anywhere. You just have to be bounce back and play and can't let it keep you away."

Hartley was in such great shape last summer that UConn coach Geno

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Auriemma said he couldn't remember a player in better condition to start the preseason. But then Hartley suffered a severe ankle sprain with a minor ligament tear at the 3-on-3 championships.

Hartley missed an entire month of preseason and the first two games of the regular season. The injury frustrated her throughout the season to the point of affecting her game and her confidence. She averaged career lows in scoring (9.2) and field-goal percentage (39.1). It wasn't until the postseason that she really began playing like herself again.

She scored in double digits in the final three games of the NCAA Tournament, including 15 in the national championship victory over Louisville, and played as well defensively as she had all season.

"Part of playing now was to keep the momentum going that I had at the end of the season, but most of it is just the fact that I love playing basketball," Hartley said. "Any time I get a chance to play, I am going to take it."

She feels great both physically and mentally, and USA World Games coach Sherri Coale of Oklahoma said she hasn't seen Hartley's confidence waver once during training camp. Instead, she's seen great leadership skills emerge.

There have been a few instances where Coale started to ask Hartley what a great point guard would do in a specific situation, and before she could get the question out of her mouth Hartley was answering correctly.

"So I know she is thinking about not just making plays and being a good player, but (about) conducting what goes on out on the floor from the point guard position," Coale said. "I was really impressed with her ability to run the show. It wasn't perfect, but she is always pushing herself to do it the right way."

Coale said she plans to use Hartley both as a point guard and a shooting guard.

"I think the fact that she is maybe more a true off guard than a true point guard — she has become a point guard because Geno has made her one and the fact that she can do both extremely well helps our team in ways I can't express to you," Coale said. "I think she will be invaluable."

Hartley said the USA Basketball experience is invaluable in helping her improve her defense, her jump shot and her decision-making. Rather than shoot around and work out on her own or play pick-up games on campus, she's honing her skills during weeks of intense practices and games.

She's excited that Mosqueda-Lewis is also playing in the World University Games and that later this summer teammates Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson will play in the FIBA U-19 World Championships (July 18-28) in Lithuania.

She said the Huskies took two weeks off after the national championship, but then got right back to work.

"I don't think complacency will be a problem at all for us," Hartley said. "We saw the potential we had and how the season came together last year. It felt so amazing when everything came together. I think that motivates us to come back and try to play hard from the start so we don't have the ups and downs we had with inconsistency last season."

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